PODCAST: How to Create Coveted Content

Marketing Tech Talk #3

Conversation with an Editor-in-Chief on Creating Coveted Content

Paul Gillin, author of “The New Influencers,” talks about the tectonic shifts that are taking place in the media world, changes that he believes will ultimately destroy 95% of American major metropolitan newspapers.

David Meerman Scott, author of the “New Rules of Marketing & PR,” has written extensively about journalists moving from newspapers to corporations, and using their unique skill set to tell stories that resonate with a brand’s followers.

These new rules of marketing have many organizations reaping the benefits of an effective content strategy that attracts prospects into their Marketing and Sales funnel. A study from Social Media B2B reports that B2B companies which blog generate 67% more leads per month than those who don’t.

How customers gather, consume, and accept information has fundamentally changed. To effectively share their stories and stand out from the plethora of noise requires organizations to use new media channels, as well as new resources ranging from brand journalists to multiple user-friendly digital communications.

Today’s discussion will attempt to answer the following question:

“How can I not only keep up with changes in my customers’ preferences for how they consume content, but become a thought leader that influences our industry’s entire ecosystem?”

Listen as Dennis Pierce, Jr. shares his 16-years of experience in education journalism

To help answer that question, we sat down with Dennis Pierce Jr., Editor in Chief of eSchool Media. eSchool Media is a national news organization with a total combined reach of nearly one million decision makers and influencers in K-12 and higher education. In this 31 minute podcast, we discuss a variety of content marketing subjects including native advertising, personalized websites, brand evangelist empowerment, and how to combine innovation with proper segmentation to create events that engage the publication, its advertisers, and audiences in meaningful conversations.

Top Takeaways

Dennis shares his content development process for engaging readers.

Subject Matter – Readers prefer to learn lessons from fellow colleagues. Case Studies or Success Stories that include quantifiable results are popular with eSchool Media’s audiences.

Inverted pyramid – This journalism school staple is more important today than ever. Bloggers and writers use this method to prioritize and structure information. The widest part at the top is the reserved for the lead, which conveys the who, what, when, where and why. The remaining information (including the story’s background, evidence and interesting facts) tapers, as this type of information provides diminishing importance to the reader.

Headline – Your benefit-oriented headline must be clear and to the point to grab readers’ attention. A well-written headline will be tuned to WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) station, and communicate the actionable information contained in the content that can be applied immediately. Today’s readers do not have time to interpret or make meaning of vague headlines.

Concise writing – This may have always been true, but Google Analytics has proved it. More people read the first page of an article than the second. Furthermore, each subsequent page results in a steep drop-off in readership. Marketers and publishers must adapt to readers’ consumption habits (there is a reason it is called a web browser.) The public glances at the headline, takes a glimpse of the first paragraph, and goes on to the next story.

Give an editor a hand

Pierce also provides advice on how companies can make it easier to work with news publications.

All information submitted, from press releases to success stories, should have a unique hook to capture the attention of editors and readers, a clearly defined purpose to draw them closer, and insights so valuable that the reader feels compelled to share.

The reality of today’s 24 hour news cycle is that if a reporter or editor cannot find the basic information she needs quickly, she will be forced to move on to the next story. One way to prevent this from happening to your organization is to invest in a Press Section for your website, which includes:

Company information, including location, founding date, and background

Please note: Images should be available in multiple high-resolution formats, including color, black and white and reverse b&w. eSchool News recommends final output of 3” x 4” photo to be at 300 dpi. In addition, if your company has special requirements for use of its images, your corporate “Style Guide” should be readily accessible.

Guest: Dennis Pierce Jr., e-School News

As Editor-in-Chief of a national news organization with a total combined reach of nearly one million decision makers and influencers in K-12 and higher education, Dennis has successfully grown the online news website from zero to more than 264,000 registered members and more than 5 million page views a month. Under Pierce’s leadership, eSchool News Online has become the No. 1 website for ed-tech daily news and information for K-20 decision makers.

In addition, Dennis has successfully repositioned the company from a single monthly print publication to a multi-platform brand. He continues to design and test new channels to expand readership and strengthen reader loyalty. Pierce collaborates with Sales to craft multimedia marketing campaigns in order to maximize exposure and generate qualified leads for Fortune 500 technology companies such as AT&T, Verizon, IBM, Microsoft, and Canon.

An expert in the latest school technology and the internet, Pierce graduated cum laude from Yale University. There he served as an editor of The New Journal, an Ivy League news magazine for higher education. Follow Dennis on Twitter at @eSN_Dennis

Host: W. Jeffrey Rice, Brick Street Software

W. Jeffrey Rice, Director of Marketing Strategy is responsible for sharing Brick Street Software’s brand through positive and helpful interactions with customers and the marketing and IT community. His eclectic background, ranging from sports entertainment to a leading global manufacturer, has allowed him to excel at collaborating with cross-functional teams to successfully commute objectives, draw out subject matter expertise, and drive effective campaigns.

Jeff previously held the position of Sr. Research Analyst at MarketingSherpa. He examined email and mobile marketing’s best practices and authored a number of influential publications on the topic, including the 2012 Email Handbook and The Email Benchmark Report. Rice’s work has been cited in online publications including Forbes, HubSpot, and Independent Retailer. In addition, Jeff has conducted live full-day strategic email certification classes with marketers from AT&T to Yamaha at ESP User Conferences, Email Summits, and regional workshops.

About Marketing Tech Talk: Tackling the trials and transformations of technology in marketing today.

Marketing Tech Talk shares research, thought leadership and best practices in digital marketing, from both the perspective of marketers and technologists. Each week, W. Jeffrey Rice and a special guest will discuss the latest technology, ideas, products, services, and approaches that positively influence marketing, sales, customer service, and most importantly the customer’s brand experience.

As the line between marketing and technology continues to blur, Marketing Tech Talk will cover case studies (both successful and failures), recommendations on cross-functional team projects, and current trends in the marketing technology ecosystem. The program aims to improve collaboration between marketers and technologists. By sharing ideas, job function perspectives, and research, both departments will be better equipped to integrate overlapping business objectives and limited available resources.

Listen to our podcasts of the Marketing Tech Talk Radio Show and learn how to effectively collaborate, innovate, and provide a remarkable customer experience.